Customer Stories
Customer story
Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop
40-50%
Reduction in IT costs with Nerdio’s built-in Auto-Scaling
14-day
Migration completed without disruption
20% increase
In administrative efficiency thanks to automation and reporting tools
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- Carvana needed to reduce mounting costs and complexity tied to its previous VDI platform, which lacked usability, flexibility, and modern optimization features.
- The company also faced a narrow migration window, with contracts expiring and thousands of employees relying on uninterrupted access.
Solution
- Carvana selected Nerdio Manager for Enterprise for its intuitive interface, built-in optimization features, and proven automation.
- Following a successful proof-of-concept, the team completed migration in just 14 days.
- Nerdio simplified administration for both senior engineers and junior administrators, while auto-scaling cut infrastructure costs nearly in half.
Overview
In early 2024, Carvana faced a challenge familiar to many large enterprises: rising costs and operational complexity in its virtual desktop environment.
The company, with thousands of employees across the U.S. and additional contractors nearshore and offshore, was relying on a previous platform to deliver Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) workloads. But limitations in usability, flexibility, and optimization of their previous VDI infrastructure prompted a search for a better solution.
After evaluating multiple providers, Carvana selected Nerdio for its cost optimization capabilities, modern management interface, and the ability to deliver a smooth, rapid transition. From kickoff to completion, the migration to Nerdio’s platform took just two weeks—a timeline that exceeded expectations.
Evaluating the options
Brandon Holliday, Carvana’s Cloud Support Team Lead, knew the company needed a solution that could:
- Deliver measurable cost savings.
- Simplify administration for both senior engineers and junior administrators.
- Integrate optimization features natively, eliminating the need for custom engineering work.
Following a proof–of-concept in April 2024, the team saw firsthand how Nerdio’s modern, intuitive interface and automation features reduced complexity.
“When we saw Nerdio, I recognized immediately that they had put real thought into usability. Our previous platform felt like it hadn’t changed in years, while Nerdio was continually improving and adding features.”
By September, the full project was underway. With existing contracts expiring in October, the migration window was tight. Still, Carvana’s team, in close partnership with Nerdio, completed the move in just two weeks without disrupting daily operations.
Delivering significant cost savings
The results were immediate. Nerdio’s built-in Auto-Scaling allowed Carvana to power down virtual desktops during evenings, weekends, and low-use periods, directly reducing Azure infrastructure spend. The switch ultimately cut costs by 40–50% compared to the previous platform.
We had tried to engineer our own auto-scaling solution in the past without success. Nerdio had it built in. That made a huge difference for us.”
Brandon Holliday,
Cloud Support Team Lead
Freeing up IT talent
Beyond cost savings, Nerdio’s streamlined management interface empowered more team members to manage AVD without routing every task through senior engineers. That freed senior staff to focus on higher-value projects while giving junior administrators hands-on experience.
Nerdio University further accelerated onboarding with structured training and accessible resources. “It’s an opportunity to grow our team,” Holliday noted. “Before, junior members might have needed outside training before they could touch production. Now, they can learn as they go.”
Efficiency gains that compound
While cost was the initial driver, efficiency gains quickly followed. Carvana estimates a 20% improvement in administrative efficiency, with further potential as automation continues to expand. Reporting is faster—Holliday can now produce cost-per-user and utilization reports for executives in minutes, enabling more data-driven decisions.
Fueling Carvana’s broader turnaround
For Associate Director of Brand Marketing Keith Marsh, the Nerdio migration reflects Carvana’s company-wide focus on discipline and efficiency.
“Across the organization, everyone is tasked with finding ways to be more efficient and work smarter,” Marsh said. “Nerdio checks those boxes and helps us deliver better results for our customers.”
Looking ahead
Carvana plans to explore Nerdio’s published applications feature to further optimize application hosting and costs. As new features roll out, the team values Nerdio’s proactive communication and partnership, ensuring Carvana is always ready to adopt the latest capabilities.
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